It's interesting to notice what we pay attention to, how we listen, and what we expect to hear in a song. There are amazing subtleties in what creates our emotional experience of a song -- beyond just the lyric, melody, and harmony. The more insights we have, the better we can craft our songs.

Rule of Twos (0:21:38)

Steve Seskin

After we hear something twice, we probably want to hear something different. After that, we'll probably be ready to hear the first thing again. Remember our old friend AABA?

In this video, Steve explains how we react to hearing something -- whether it's a melody, cadence, or lyric -- a second or third time. He gives plenty of examples from songs about what this is like, and how you can use it to your advantage.

Phrasing, Part 1: Front-Heavy, Back-Heavy Lines (0:46:56)

Pat Pattison

Understanding how we listen can help you craft a song where all elements -- not just your lyrics -- combine to communicate what you're really trying to say. In this video, Pat discusses how we listen, and then focuses on the beat each line starts on -- front-heavy and back-heavy lines. Using a simple four-line example from the class, Pat goes runs through the emotional range that you can produce, just by shifting which beat each line starts on.